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Utah Tech University Athletics

FB - Sei-J Lauago vs. SDSMT
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
47
SD Mines SDFB 2-2 , 1-2
51
Winner Dixie State DSFB 3-1 , 3-1
SD Mines SDFB
2-2 , 1-2
47
Final
51
Dixie State DSFB
3-1 , 3-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
SDFB SD Mines 14 19 3 11 47
DSFB Dixie State 13 14 7 17 51

Game Recap: Football | | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Trailblazers edge SD Mines in RMAC thriller

Dixie State rallies for third straight win and D2 era best start (3-1)

Dixie State football rallied for its second come-from-behind victory in as many weeks on Saturday, edging South Dakota Mines for a thrilling 51-47 victory at Trailblazer Stadium.

The Trailblazers (3-1, 3-1 RMAC) trailed by as many as 13 points in the first half and nine points in the second half, but rallied for its third consecutive victory to set a program record for the best start in the Division II era.

The contest featured a little bit of everything as the Trailblazers and Hardrockers (2-2, 1-2 RMAC) combined for 1,166 yards and 98 points. The 1,166 combined yards of total offense marks a new DSU Division II era single-game record, eclipsing the previous mark of 1,137 yards in a 48-25 win over the Hardrockers on Oct. 31, 2015, in Rapid City.
The teams also combined for 26 penalties and seven turnovers.

Dixie State forced a South Dakota Mines three-and-out on the game's opening drive, then marched 70 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. The Trailblazers came out firing as Easton Smith (Payson, Utah/Payson HS) completed five of his first seven passes for 85 yards while connecting with five different receivers. Smith capped the drive with a 16-yard strike to Conner Miller (Santa Ana, Calif./Brethren Christian HS) for the score.

The Hardrockers responded four minutes later with a 73-yard touchdown run after intercepting a DSU pass to tie the game at 7-7.

The Trailblazers wasted no time retaking the lead. Elijah Isiah (Fresno, Calif./Edison HS) returned the ensuing kickoff to the 30-yard line, followed by a 30-yard screen pass to Sei-J Lauago (Paramount, Calif./La Mirada HS) to the SDSMT 38-yard line. Smith found Isaiah Wooden (San Diego, Calif./Helix HS) on the next play for a 38-yard touchdown pass as Wooden made a leaping catch in the front corner of the end zone. The point-after attempt failed, and DSU held a 13-7 lead with 6:06 remaining in the first frame.

SD Mines needed just five plays to find the end zone on the ensuing drive, marching 75 yards in less than two minutes to regain a 14-13 lead. The Hardrockers tacked on another touchdown early in the second quarter when quarterback Jake Sullivan scored on 26-yard run. The point-after attempt failed, and SD Mines held a 20-13 advantage.

Trailing by a touchdown, Dixie State needed to swing the momentum. And it did just that. Trayvon Watson (Los Angeles, Calif./West Adams Prep HS) picked off a Sullivan pass midway through the second quarter, setting up a 61-yard touchdown run by Lauago to tie the game at 20-20.

But the Hardrockers responded again, this time with 13 unanswered points to build a 33-20 lead with 5:54 remaining until halftime.

Facing a possible two-score deficit heading into the break, the Trailblazers caught a break when the Hardrockers fumbled a DSU punt. Dixie State recovered the loose ball, and Lauago scored his second touchdown of the game five plays later to pull to within 33-27 at halftime.

SD Mines looked poised to push the lead back to a two-touchdown advantage on its first drive of the second half, marching to the DSU 15-yard line. But the DSU defense forced a field goal, and the Hardrockers converted the attempt to extend the lead to 36-27.

The Trailblazers capitalized on a SD Mines fumble later in the frame to cut the lead to 36-34. After the defense forced the turnover, Trent Darms (Chico, Calif./Pleasant Valley HS) scored on a 4-yard read-option run seven plays later.

Dixie State regained the lead for the first time since the first quarter early in the fourth period when a promising drive stalled in the red zone. Facing 4th-and-goal at the SDSMT 3-yard line, DSU sent the field goal unit onto the field for a 20-yard attempt. SD Mines appeared to block the kick, but was called for offsides on the play. A.J. Yergensen (St. George, Utah/Desert Hills HS) made the second chance count, drilling the 19-yard field goal to give DSU a 37-36 lead.

The Hardrockers seemed to take the life out of the stadium on the ensuing drive, marching 69 yards for a touchdown in less than three minutes to retake a 42-37 lead. SD Mines then converted a two-point try to extend the lead to 44-37 with 10 minutes to play.

And then Dixie State brought out the fireworks. The Trailblazers tied the game at 44-44 on the ensuing kickoff with a 99-yard return for a touchdown. Aaron Simpson (Pasadena, Calif./Pasadena HS) fielded the ball at the 1-yard line, moved to the left, then handed to Wooden for a reverse at the 8-yard line. Wooden raced around the right end, fighting off tacklers in the process, and sprinted 92 yards to the end zone to bring the home crowd to its feet.

SD Mines looked to quiet the crowd on the next drive, quickly moving to the DSU 8-yard line. But a holding penalty set the Hardrockers back, followed by a DSU third-down stop. SD Mines settled for a 31-yard field goal to take the lead at 47-44 with 5:23 remaining.

Needing a touchdown to win, Dixie State rose to the challenge, driving 70 yards in nine plays to move to the SDSMT 5-yard line. Lauago sprinted around the left end and into the end zone on the 10th play of the drive for his third touchdown of the game to push the score to the eventual final of 51-47.

But the Hardrockers still had nearly two minutes and two timeouts to work with, and they would make things interesting. SD Mines moved quickly to the DSU 18-yard line, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the visitors back to the 31-yard line. The miscue derailed the drive, as Sebastian DeMartini sacked Sullivan two plays later, and Abraham Reinhardt (Wailuku, Hawaii/H.P. Baldwin HS) sealed the win with an interception on third down.

Dixie State claimed the victory despite being outgained for the second straight week, finishing with 513 yards (288 pass / 225 rush) of total offense. Smith completed 10-of-17 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns, while Darms connected on 7-of-16 passes for 103 yards. Giovanni Sanders (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Mesa HS) led all DSU receivers with four catches for 80 yards, while Lauago recorded his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game with 144 yards on 21 carries. Lauago also tied a DSU single-game record with three rushing touchdowns.

The Trailblazers conceded 653 yards (416 pass / 237 rush) of total offense. Mike Jones (San Diego, Calif./Mount Miguel HS) recorded DSU's first double-digit tackle game of the season with a game-high 11 tackles. Reinhardt added seven tackles and an interception, while Watson contributed six tackles and an interception. Remington Kelly (Bountiful, Utah/Bountiful HS) added five tackles and 1.5 sacks.

The Trailblazers open a two-game road swing next Saturday at Black Hills State in Spearfish, South Dakota. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
 
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